This invention relates generally to the field of fabric drying apparatus and in particular to a bulkhead assembly having plural airflow outlets. The bulkhead assembly provides for continuous airflow through the fabric drying apparatus even if one of the airflow outlets becomes obstructed.
Douglas, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,688 issued June 26, 1956, discloses a laundry dryer having a lint filter mounted in the front wall over the entry to the exhaust blower. A portion of an access door overlies the lint filter area and forms part of the structure defining an airflow passage to the lint filter. Airflow moves through the access opening, through the airflow passage and finally through the lint filter into the exhaust blower. There is only one airflow path to the lint filter.
Worst, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,320,683 issued May 23, 1967, shows a lint filter arrangement disposed in the lower portion of a dryer access opening. The inner face of the access door is perforate and allows airflow into the access door assembly and through an opening in the access door assembly into the lint filter. Again, there is only one airflow path to the lint filter.
Faust et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,514 issued Feb. 5, 1974 and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, teach a bulkhead mounted filter assembly having a perforate grid-like air inlet facing the interior of the fabric tumbling chamber. The single airflow path to the lint filter is through the grid-like air inlet.
The prior art has thus shown a number of lint filter arrangements for fabric dryers. All of these prior art lint filter arrangements provide only a single airflow path from the drying chamber.